Dear Reader,

Things have not been so great lately; the effects of the war have finally started to catch up to us here. A brand-new war tax has been raised, this on top of the already existing taxes on goods has left many struggling. We are a poor and insignificant village; I am not sure how the magistrate expects for our village to pay.

We expect to barter goods, but agriculture here is limited, the salt carried over from the sea tends to affect the crops. Whereas our abundance of seafood cannot be transported for sale in the cities, much of which does not last the trip. It is the difficulty of living in such seclusion, for the central government to be squeezing us tighter, does not speak well of their progress.

Based on some the few merchants that stop by the war has entered a prolonged stalemate. However, since the bulk of the imperial army is made up of mercenaries and auxiliaries, the costs have been mounting. As rich as the empire may be, this kind of prolonged war is clearly not ideal for a mercantile power, one that relies on trade and its naval power.

It was however welcome news, the fact that the empire was not losing, merely being forced to pay for their lack of a standing army. Our overlord’s weakness on land was countered by their naval prowess, which had left the enemy reinforcements incapable of crossing to this island battlefield in the east. The news of possible increases in taxes to pay for the increasingly large mercenary armies on the other hand, was not seen positively.

Many will grumble and curse, but the truth is that it is peaceful here in our lands. The empire has always ensured security of the sea lanes, their constant patrols and power in the region deters any acts of piracy, at least in the form of coastal raids. Even the intermittent tribal conflicts have diminished under their rule. As far as our way of life, we have seen little change, our nominal overlords barely interfere with our local chieftains, opting to collect their due and leave us to our own devices.

Well, I think I have spoken enough about politics and conflicts, quiet the distasteful subjects if you ask me. If only people could get along, put aside their greed and live simply, that true of this coastal village. The pristine and simple landscape offers many treasures, the joy of watching the waves ebb and flow, the excitement of the first catch, and the beauty of the moon and star’s reflection at night.

Speaking of beauty, Lukka has decided to find a new home. One much closer to my own, the girl followed me as I walked along the coast, I could feel her tapping my foot every few feet. Once the two of us reached my hut she darted off to a little rock formation nearby. Everyday this week I see her speeding away from that place whenever I enter the water.

She is still slightly cautious, she can touch me, but I must be allowed to touch her. It is fine, I know to give her adequate space, the ocean is her domain after all. We have kept up our usual afternoon routine, it is a routine know, as she has learned to use my foot as a platform to hunt her prey. Personally, I think she is just lazy and does not wish to move herself, I have noticed her increased size and weight. It is slight, but still noticeable.

This week however there was something new, for the first time ever, Lukka presented me with a gift. I am not sure where she learned the practice, but she appeared this morning with a small shell. A gift I assume, possibly for all the fish, who could know, it was a wonderful gesture, and I could not help but smile at the thought what others may think.

Last night was terrible, my dreams were rife with pain. There were many people, their faces obscured, washed away, the way a picture in the sand might look after the tide has rolled in. Even though I could see nothing, my body shivered, disgust and hate came to mind.

There was one, a particularly corpulent man, his frame rounder than it was tall. Then there was the chest, filled to the brim with shining gold coins. I was so enthralled with the wealth, oblivious to the figure, until the knife found purchase in my back. This was followed by a sudden and intense pain in my head, then I found myself once again on the floor of my hut.

I was once again safe, was that a dream or a memory, I could not tell which is which. It must have been a dream, I was just a fisherman, a simple who has lived all my life in this village, secluded from the world. My wife had died long ago, and both my sons were drafted into the war, fighting far from home.

Yes, that is correct. I am just a simple man, my name is Abdosir and I am alone… No, not alone anymore, now I have Lukka, she needs me.